estes



(No Model.)

H'.- R; ESTES.

UNIGYGLE.

Patented Mar. 9

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT R. ESTES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. ESTES, OF SAME PLACE.

UNICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,395, dated March 9, 1897. Application filed October 16, 1895- Serial No. 565,870. (No model.)

To (LZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HUBERT R. ESTES, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Unicycles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this specification- The object of my invention is to prod ucea mechanism where the operator acts as his own motor-power, employing but one wheel, the construction of which is simple and not easily put. out of repair.

My invention consists in features of 110velty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I represents a side view of my device, showing the wheel, the propelling mechanism, the seat for the rider, and the steering apparatus. Fig. II is a cross-section taken along the line II II of Fig. I, looking to the right. Fig. III is also a cross-section taken along the line III III of Fig. I, looking down upon the propelling mechanism. Fig. IV is a detail side View of the ratchet-and-pawl device. Fig. V is a cross-section taken alongthe line V V of Fig. I, looking to the left, showing one of the stirrups and hangers.

1 is the outer rim of the wheel, adapted to come in contact with the ground.

2 is an inner rim, and 3 are the spokes connecting the two. This rim 2 is in section in the form of an H, as shown in Figs. II and III, and 4 indicates the inner portion of this said rim. On the under side of this rim 4 is provided a rack 5, the use of which will be explained hereinafter.

The saddle for the rider is placed as shown in Fig. I, secured to a tube 6, curved to form an arc the radial line of which extends to the center of the unicycle.

7 is a second rod adapted to telescope into the tube 6, said tube 6 being provided at its upon the inner side of the rim 4.

12 is a tube secured by a set-screw to the rod 7 and which carries the handles 13, used by the rider for propelling the device. Pivoted to the portion bearing this handle 13 is a fork 14, which is shown in detail in Figs. III and IV. To this fork is secured a guiding-roller 15, which also is recessed to engage the bead 11 upon the rim 4.

16 is a casting pivoted at 19 to the roller and fork just described, said casting having two arms,one extending into one recess of the I-shaped rim 2 and which carries a tooth l7, pivoted to the casting 16 at 18, and the other arm of which extends into the other recess of the H-shaped rim, carrying a roller 24, which is adapted to bear against the said rim. The tooth 17 is kept engaged with the rack 5 by means of the tension of a spring 20, one end of which is attached to the tooth 17 and the other end of which is attached to the castin g 16. The roller 24 is kept pressed against the outer rim 4 of the I by means of a spring 21, one end of which is attached to a spur 23 on the casting 16 and the other end of which is attached to a pin 22 upon the fork 14, as shown in Fig. IV. This casting 16 being fulcrumed at the point 19, the tension of these two springs will have the effect of, first, drawing the roller 15 hard against the bead 11 upon the rim 4, and, second, of pressing the roller- 24 in the recess of the I in the'opposite direction to that of the roller 15, while the tooth 17 is kept engaged by the ratchet 5 by means of the spring 20.

Suspended from either side of the frame 9, which carries the saddle, are hangers 25,which are supplied with additional hangers 26 and which together carry the stirrups 27. The forward ends of these stirrups are pivoted at 0 28 to the forward hanger. The rear hanger, which is under the heel of the rider, is supplied with a spring 29, as shown in Fig. V. Extending back from this spring is a spur or guiding-rod 30, so arranged that when the 5 heel of the rider is pressed upon the stirrup 27 the spur 30 is dropped or pressed upon the ground.

To prevent the rollers 10, which carry the hanger 31 is suspended from the frame of the saddle and which carries a roller 32. This roller 32 is adapted to engage in the recess of the I of the casting 2, thereby preventing the rollers from leaving the said track.

The operation of my device is as follows: The rider seats himself within the wheel with his feet upon the stirrups 27 and his hands grasping the handle-bar 13. By drawing down upon the handle-bar 13 the rod 7, which is attached thereto by means of the adjusting-tube 12, is telescoped into the tube 6, its motion being limited by the pin 8. This draws down upon the tooth 17, which engages the rack 4. This draws the rider, seated on the saddle, forward, the rollers being free to ride upon the bead or track 11 and the line of gravitation is thrown forward of the base of the wheel, which causes the entire wheel to roll forward. The rider then pushes forward on the handle 13, which raises the tooth 17 and which again engages in the rack 5, when the downward pull is repeated, the wheel continuing to roll forward.

When the rider desires to change the direc tion of the wheel, he will press his heel upon the stirrup 27 on the side in the direction he desires to go. This will lower the spur 30, causing friction with the ground, which will have the tendency of retarding the motion of the wheel and turning it toward that side. The spurs 3O serve the additional purpose of acting as a brake for the machine. By pressing uniformly upon both springs 29 the said spurs 30 will bring the device to a standstill, thus acting as a complete brake as well as serving to guide the machine. I prefer to construct them of some material that will act as a spring, but any suitable construction may be used.

I prefer to construct the device with the ordinary pneumatic tire, as shown in Fig. II, and prefer also to use ordinary steel spokes to connect the outer and inner rims.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination consisting of a wheel having an inner rim,a seat for the rider placed on said inner rim, a ratchet formed on the inner rim, and means for continuously drawing said seat forward of the line of gravity, consisting of apawl adapted to engage the ratchet and carried on a fork having a telescope connection with the seat, substantially as described.

2. The combination consisting of a wheel, a seat for the rider carried by a frame placed upon an inner rim within said wheel, stirrups suspended by hangers from said frame, and having the toe pivoted and the heel free to move in a vertical plane, and spurs carried on the heels ofsaid stirrups, adapted to be pressed into contact with the ground,substantially as described.

3. The combination consisting of a wheel provided with an outer and an inner rim, a frame carrying a saddle and adapted to ride upon said inner rim, a means of drawing said frame forward of the line of gravity, consisting of a ratchet in a recess in said inner frame, a pawl to engage said ratchet, and a telescope connection with the said frame and suitable means for guiding and braking the device, substantially as described.

4. In a unicycle, the combination of a wheel having an inner and outer rim, a ratchet formed on the inner rim, a saddle mounted on rollers which travel over the inner rim, a pawl mounted in a casting carried by a telescopic rod adapted to be yieldingly held in engagement with the ratchet, and said telescopic rod being connected with the saddle,substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

HUBERT R ESTES.

In presence of STANLEY STONER, N. FINLEY. 

